By JIMMIE TRAMEL Sports Writer on Sep 10, 2013, at 9:38 PM Updated on 9/10 at 9:48 PM
GAMES PEOPLE PLAY
Former Oklahoma State receiver Artrell Woods is down and out. He suffered a spinal injury (and temporary paralysis) due to ...
Former receiver Artrell Woods was a focal point in the final chapter of Sports Illustrated's five-part investigative series ...
On Friday, Sports Illustrated’s five-part investigative look (“The Dirty Game”) at the Oklahoma State football program focused ...
Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder “manned up” during a news conference this week and indicated he will be accountable -- and attempt to fix -- any wrongdoings within the football program.
But, on the flip side, sources within OSU’s athletic department and former players are expressing concerns about the sources who thus far are being quoted in Sports Illustrated’s investigative series.
“You are looking at guys that are frustrated and are at different points in their lives and they are probably not happy with the situations they are in and their time at Oklahoma State,” former tight end Billy Bajema said.
“And unfortunately their voices are being heard the loudest and presented as the voices of truth in an article and that’s frustrating.”
Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman and former OSU All-American Russell Okung fired off a couple of Tuesday tweets related to this subject:
--"Sad that players making wrong decisions such as multiple drug use and detrimental conduct have been deemed credible sources."
--"Please tell me @thayerevanssi @georgedohrmann how many of those guys had a degree from OK State or were kicked off the team?"
Quick, unofficial count: Among 13 former players who were used as sources, only two completed four seasons of eligibility. Someone with knowledge of the situation suggested six of them had drug-related issues while at OSU. Is it fair for me to say that without proof? It’s as fair as some of them saying they received money from boosters without having to actually name the boosters.
Five of the sources were among nine players who were shown the door by Mike Gundy after he became head coach in 2005. The most common reason they were booted was “violation of team rules” which is coach-speak for where there’s smoke, there’s smoke.
“I’ve been talking to people today and they want me to comment on the credibility of the sources and stuff,” former quarterback Josh Fields said. “I don’t think I need to do that.”
Fields noted that a couple of the sources (Rodrick Johnson, Aso Pogi) have said they were misquoted or their words were taken out of context.
“I don’t think he misquoted every single one of them, but it was twisted and stuff like that," Fields said. "I hope people will kind of look at that and not necessarily just blame these guys because a couple of them -- not all of them -- are former teammates who stuck it out for four years. The rest didn’t quite make it.”
Fields predicted that readers, at least nationally, may have a different view of SI's coverage than Oklahomans who might be familiar with the sources and their backgrounds.
Said Fields, “Maybe this is just me being optimistic, but I think that people will realize where these quotes came from and realize who the story was written from and will take a look at that and see that this is basically leading to a dead end.”
Me? I won’t say it’s a “dead end” because if you put any major college program under the microscope you’ll find examples of boys (and men) behaving badly -- especially when you go back over a 12-year period. Some allegations will stick.
But I also think that if this was a court of law, it wouldn’t take much to discredit many of the witnesses.
Former Auburn coach Gene Chizik watched his program be subjected to intense media scrutiny in 2010, when quarterback Cam Newton dealt with allegations that his father put him up for bid during the recruiting process.
When Chizik was asked Monday about SI’s probe into the OSU program, he said this: “Now it will be real interesting to see exactly who they have interviewed because typically what they do is they want to go get somebody from the program that, for whatever reason, was kicked off the team or somebody that was in trouble who obviously may want to stir the pot.”
Was he right?
